Music
INTRODUCTION
At Key Stage 3, students at Wright Robinson College complete a carousel of Design & Technology/ Music/ Drama. They will study each area twice within each academic year. Each individual project has been developed to give students the opportunity to fully explore, experience and enjoy these subjects.
KS3 Curriculum Map
Curriculum in Year 7
In year 7 students will study music whilst developing their listening, performing and composing skills. Students will learn about the dimensions of music and they will learn to identify them whilst completing listening tasks on Dixieland Music, Gamelan Music and Pop Ukulele. Students will build their confidence on musical instruments including the keyboard, ukulele, percussion and singing. They will get the opportunity to be creative and compose musical ideas within the genre they are studying.
How we assess:
| Rotation 1 | Rotation 2 | |
| Overview |
Dixieland Music Baseline Test Listening skills - Assessments on Dixieland Music Keyword Test Final assessment - The Fluency of a performance on the keyboard with thought to tempo and using the correct fingers.
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Gamelan Music Listening skills - Assessments on Gamelan Music Keyword Test Final assessment - The Fluency of a layered performance on the keyboard with thought to the structure and improvisation skills. Pop with Ukulele Listening task on Ukulele pieces Keyword Test Final assessment - Fluency of chord changes on the Ukulele |
| Content |
Dimensions of Music: Pitch, Rhythm, Tempo Instruments of the orchestra
Keyboard Skills: 'Oh When the Saints' learning Notes on the keyboard Treble clef Stave Correct finger positions Extension task - Left hand chords |
Dimensions of Music: Dynamics, Texture, Structure, Improvisation Music history of music form Indonesia
Keyboard Skills: Notes on the keyboard Treble clef Stave
Ukulele Skills: Chords - Strumming and Picking |
How can parents help?
- Where possible encourage students to play/practise musical instruments at home
- Encourage students to listen to a wide variety of music
- Encourage students to complete homework tasks and revise subject specific terminology
- Encourage students to attend extra-curricular clubs to support their development
Curriculum in Year 8
In year 8 students will study music whilst developing their listening, performing and composing skills. Students will learn about the dimensions of music and they will learn to identify them whilst completing listening tasks on Baroque Music, Indie Music and Pop Ukulele. Students will build their confidence on musical instruments including the keyboard, ukulele, percussion and singing. They will get the opportunity to be creative and compose musical ideas within the genre they are studying.
How we assess:
| Rotation 1 | Rotation 2 | |
| Overview |
Baroque Music Baseline Test Listening skills - Assessments on Music from the era. Keyword Test Final assessment - The Fluency of a performance of Pachelbel's Canon on the keyboard with thought to tempo -Bass line and Chords. Extension Tasks - Variations |
Indie Music Listening skills - Assessments on Indie Music. Keyword Test Final assessment - The Fluency of a performance of 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' on the keyboard with thought to tempo -Bass line and Chords. Extension Tasks - Sing and Play Pop Ukulele Listening skills - Assessments on Pop Music. Final assessment - Fluency of a pop song performance with good/steady chord changes on the Ukulele. |
| Content |
Dimensions of Music: Tempo, Texture, Timbre Instruments of the Baroque orchestra Musical Eras/Timeline
Keyboard Skills: 'Pachelbel's Canon' Learning Notes on the keyboard Bass clef Stave Left hand bass line Right Hand Chords Extension task - Melodic composition to create variations |
Dimensions of Music: Instrumentation, Texture, Dynamics Instruments in a Band Fingerprints of Indie music and how it developed
Keyboard Skills: 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' Learning the black Notes on the keyboard Reading Chord symbols Left hand bass line Right Hand Chords Extension task - Sing and Play |
How can parents help?
- Where possible encourage students to play/practise musical instruments at home
- Encourage students to listen to a wide variety of music
- Encourage students to complete homework tasks and revise subject specific terminology
- Encourage students to attend extra-curricular clubs to support their development
Curriculum in Year 9
In year 9 students will study music whilst developing their listening, performing and composing skills. Students will learn about the dimensions of music and they will learn to identify them whilst completing listening tasks on Rock and Roll, Musical Genres including R&B, EDM, Reggae and Rock. Students will build their confidence on musical instruments including the keyboard, ukulele, percussion and singing. They will get the opportunity to be creative and compose musical ideas within the genre they are studying.
How we assess:
| Rotation 1 | Rotation 2 | |
| Overview |
Rock and Roll Baseline Test Listening skills - Assessments on Rock and Roll Music. Keyword Test Final assessment - The Fluency of a performance on the keyboard with thought to tempo and using the correct fingers. |
Musical Genres Listening skills - Assessments on different musical genres Keyword Test Final assessment - A performance of a song from one of the four genres. Students can choose to perform a solo or duet. They can choose the instrument from keyboard, vocals, drum kit. |
| Content |
Dimensions of Music: Pitch, Rhythm, Tempo, Chords, Walking Bass Lines
Keyboard Skills: '12 Bar Blues' Walking Bass Line. Correct finger positions for the left hand. Extension task - Left hand chords right hand improvisation. |
Dimensions of Music: Melody, Timbre, Electronic Instruments, Tempo / BPM Rhythm - Syncopation Keyboard Skills: To perform music from different genres
Learning about the Fingerprints of R&B / EDM / Reggae / Rock music and how they sound and developed.
Syncopated melody lines Extension task - Sing and Play |
How can parents help?
- Where possible encourage students to play/practise musical instruments at home
- Encourage students to listen to a wide variety of music
- Encourage students to complete homework tasks and revise subject specific terminology
- Encourage students to attend extra-curricular clubs to support their development
Curriculum in Year 10
Name of Course and Exam Board:
RSL Level 2 Certificate in Performance for Music Practitioners
RSL Level 2 Certificate in Technology and Composition for Music Practitioners
Method of External Assessment:
Coursework:
Unit 204ta – Musical Knowledge (20%)
Unit 205ta – Composing Music (40%)
Examination:
Unit 202ta – Live Music Performance (40% – External)
Or
Unit 203ta – Technology and Sequencing (40% – External)
How we assess:
| Autumn Term Year 10 | Spring Term Year 10 | Summer Term Year 10 | |
| Overview |
Baseline test Solo Performance assessment Composition Task Chords/Melody and Drum track Musical Knowledge Research task |
Ensemble Performance assessment
Composition Task With Developed ideas
Musical Knowledge Fingerprints of their chosen genre |
Mock Exam Performance or Composition 30 hours |
| Content |
Music Theory – Understanding dimensions in music
Rehearsal Techniques and skills audit and target setting Composition Tasks How to compose melodies, bass lines How to harmonise and develop chord sequences How to input |
Music Theory – Harmony /Chords Music Theory – Key features of Musical Genres Music Theory – How to complete an analysis of a song Examination prep – Repertoire / Composition Task – Performance study – Ensemble performance – Focus timing/tempo Understanding the rehearsal process, skills audit and target setting |
Mock Exam Performance or Composition
|
|
Autumn Term Year 11 |
Spring Term Year 11 | Summer Term Year 11 | |
| Overview |
Musical Knowledge Task 1 and 2 submission 1 - Dec Composition Task 1 Submission 1
|
External Examination 30 hours |
Opportunity to improve / complete coursework for final submission.
Opportunity to resit external exam |
| Content |
Musical Knowledge Task 1 and Task 2 Individual research on their musical genres
Analysis of songs using the dimensions of Music
Composition Task 1 How to structure a 3 min composition Development of ideas Sounds and how they work together
Exam repertoire rehearsal - Stage presence |
Exam Performance or Composition
|
How can parents help?
- Where possible encourage students to practise their musical instrument at home
- Encourage students to listen to a wide variety of music
- Encourage students to complete coursework/ homework tasks and revise subject specific terminology
- Encourage students to attend extra-curricular clubs to support their development